Hansen scores twice, Canucks beat Oilers 2-1 for 1st OT win
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Bloodied and battered, a stitched-up Jannik Hansen gave the Vancouver Canucks their first 3-on-3 overtime victory.
Hansen scored his second goal of the game at 4:01 of the extra period and Vancouver edged the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Saturday night for its first OT win this season.
Not long after requiring stitches to repair a cut to his forehead, Hansen, who tied the game in the second period, skated down right wing and fired a shot that beat goalie Cam Talbot under his blocker.
With just more than a minute to play in regulation, Hansen crashed into the Oilers crease after an off-the-rush chance and smacked his forehead on the crossbar. The result was a golf ball-sized bump and several stitches.
''It wasn't too many. That's why they could get it done so quick,'' Hansen said. ''I was hoping they would do it quick. It's a fortunate spot. It's not a spot that was erupting in any way and they were quick on the freezing, too. It took them not even five minutes.''
Hansen's goal in overtime ended a season-long drought for the Canucks (14-14-9), who had been 0-7 when playing 3-on-3.
''Janny's been good for us this year,'' said coach Willie Desjardins, whose team played without seven regulars, including late scratch Alex Burrows. ''He comes back and he gives us a lot of energy. On the bench, he was telling the (defensemen) that he wanted that puck. He came back and got some speed and they found him wide. It worked out for us.''
The Canucks, back at Rogers Arena for the first time since Dec. 9, watched Jacob Markstrom make 32 saves for his third win of the season. Top goalie Ryan Miller was sidelined with muscle cramps, the team said.
''I think we were due in OT,'' Markstrom said. ''That was a big win for us. I got a lot of help tonight. The boys were great.''
Edmonton's Mark Letestu opened the scoring in the first period before Hansen responded in the second.
The win was the third straight for Vancouver on home ice and improved the Canucks' record at Rogers Arena to 6-6-3.
The Oilers fell to 15-18-3 on the season.
Talbot, starting in net for the third time in four games, stopped 22 of 24 shots.
The Oilers had much of the possession early in overtime and generated a few clear-cut chances, but Markstrom stood tall.
''We had opportunities and we had the puck a lot in overtime,'' Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said.
''There were a couple of open nets where they whacked at it and they did a good job of getting sticks on it. They came down and Cam had really good position, he was out far, but (it) just slid through and that happens sometimes.''
After the Oilers took a 1-0 lead in the first, Vancouver tied the game at 3:37 of the second when Hansen scored his 11th goal of the season. He took Henrik Sedin's pass from the corner and slid it under Talbot from the top of the crease.
After winning a puck battle in the corner, Daniel Sedin gave a quick touch pass to Henrik Sedin, who then slipped it to an uncovered Hansen.
The Oilers opened the scoring at 12:55 of the first when Letestu whipped a wrister from the slot to the top corner, beating Markstrom on the glove side for his fourth of the season.
NOTES: The Canucks continue their seven-game homestand, longest of the season, on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. ... The Oilers are back on the ice Sunday in Calgary. ... Talbot hit the back of his head on the post late in the third period and went down for a moment, but stayed in the game after being checked by a team trainer.
